Cumberland County NC

Slave Narrative of John C. Bectom

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: John C. Bectom Location: North Carolina Date of Birth: Oct. 7, 1862 My name is John C. Bectom. I was born Oct. 7, 1862, near Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina. My father’s name was Simon Bectom. He was 86 years of age when he died. He died in 1910 at Fayetteville, N. C. My mother’s name was Harriet Bectom. She died in 1907, May 23, when she was seventy years old. My brother’s were named Ed, Kato and Willie. I was third of the boys. My sisters were Lucy, Anne and Alice. My father … Read more

Ancil W. Melvin

Corpl., 306th Am. Tr., Co. D, 81st Div.; of Cumberland County; son of A. Shep and Sarah Melvin. Entered service April 25, 1918, at Fayetteville, N.C. Sent to Camp Jackson. Transferred to Camp Mills. Sailed for France Sept. 17, 1918. Fought at Meuse-Argonne, Vosges Mtns. Returned to USA June 23, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Jackson June 26, 1919.

Robert J. Lamb

Major, Inf., Co. F, 30th Div., 119th Regt. Born in Cumberland County Feb. 1, 1885; son of James M. and Mrs. Ann Eliza Lamb. Husband of Mrs. Ethel A. Maultsby. Entered service June 18, 1916, at Fayetteville, N.C. Sent to Camp Sevier August, 1917. Transferred to Camp Merritt. Sailed for France May 11, 1918. Promoted to rank Major March 21, 1919. Fought at Ypres, St. Souplet, Busigny, Bellicourt and all other engagements of the 119th. Awarded American D. S. C., French Croix de Guerre with Palm. Served as Capt. on Mexican border 8 months, then mustered into Federal service. Returned … Read more

Robert G. Haigh

Private, F. Artly., Btry. A, 81st Div., 317th Regt.; of Cumberland County; son of R. G. and Marion Taylor Haigh. Entered service March 3, 1918, at Fayetteville, N.C. Sent to Camp Jackson. Transferred to Camp Mills. Sailed for France July, 1918. Returned to USA June 18, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., June, 1919.

Thomas W. Rankin

2nd Lt. F. A., Btry. C, 81st Div., 317th Regt.; of Cumberland County; son of A. E. and Zula Rankin. Entered service April 6, 1918, at Fayetteville, N.C. Sent to Camp Jackson, S. C. Transferred to Camp Taylor, Ky., then to Camp Jackson. Promoted to rank of 2nd Lt. Aug. 31, 1918. Transferred to Ft. Sill, Okla., Oct. 8, 1918, School of Artillery. Mustered out at Ft. Sill, Okla., Dec. 13, 1918.

Slave Narrative of Uncle Willis Williams

Interviewer: Genevieve W. Chandler Person Interviewed: Willis Williams Location: Conway, South Carolina “When wuz I born? Born in August. When I wuz born been August. I wuz a man grown pulling boxes, (turpentine boxes) when the shake wuz. I know the very night the shake come——on a Wednesday night. I wuz on door step loosing my shoe string. There wuz more religion then than they is now. Praying and prayer meeting for a month. Everybody tend meeting. “I been with the Yankee. I kin tell you bout the Yankee. They come home there to Rock Creek when the war wuz … Read more

Oliver T. Harrelson

1st Class Private, Inf., Co. K, 81st Div., 321st Regt. Born in Cumberland County Jan., 1895; son of Mr. and Mrs. N. M. Harrelson. Entered service May 25, 1918, at Fayetteville, N.C. Was sent to Camp Jackson, S. C., from there to Camp Sevier, S. C. Transferred to Camp Upton, N. Y. Sailed to France July 31, 1918. Fought at Meuse-Argonne, St. Die. Landed in the USA June 20, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., June 27, 1919.

Joseph T. Maloney

2nd Lt., Att. Transport Service; of Cumberland County; son of Jno. J. and Marie E. Maloney. Entered service Sept. 20, 1917, at Fayetteville, N.C. Sent to Charleston, S. C. Transferred to Camp Johnston, Fla., then to Montreal, Can. Sailed on British transport Haverford Aug. 30, 1918. Promoted to rank of Sergt. October, 1917; 2nd Lt. August, 1918. Two trips on the Haverford with American troops, from Canada to British Isles. Two trips U. S. N. T. Pasadena, returning troops from France. Mustered out at Hoboken May 20, 1919.

James M. Tomlinson

Ord. Sergt., Inf., Sup. Co., 30th Div., 119th Regt. Born in Cumberland County; son of Jas. W. and Mrs. Eva Tomlinson. Entered the service July, 1917, at Fayetteville, N.C. Was sent to Camp Sevier, transferred to Camp Merritt. Sailed for France May 11, 1918. Promoted to rank of Ord. Sergt. October, 1918. Fought at Ypres, Cambrai, Bellicourt. Returned to the USA April 2, 1919. Served on the Mexican border October, 1916, to March, 1917. Mustered out at Camp Jackson April 8, 1919.

John Huske

S. A. T. C.; son of Mr. B. R. and Mrs. Hannah O. Huske; of Cumberland County. Entered service Oct., 1918, at Fayetteville, N.C. Sent to Camp Sewanee, Tenn. Mustered out at Sewanee, Tenn., Dec., 1918.

Stacy Edward Harris

Med. Replacement No. 25. Born in Cumberland County; the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Harris. Husband of Mary Elizabeth Harris. Entered service June 5, 1918, at Fayetteville, N.C. Was sent to Camp Wadsworth, S. C., from there to Camp Merritt. Sailed for France July 9, 1918. Returned to USA Aug. 1, 1919. Was mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., Aug. 5, 1919.

Norwood W. Tillinghast

1st Class Private, F. A., 81st Div., Brigade Hdqrs. Det. Born in Cumberland County; the son of Mr. and Mrs. S. W. Tillinghast. Entered the service April 4, 1918, at Fayetteville, N.C. Was sent to Camp Jackson, S. C. Sailed for France Aug. 29, 1918. Accidentally hurt Nov. 13, 1918. Sent to hospital at Chaumont, France. Returned to USA March 3, 1919. Mustered out at Camp Jackson, S. C., April 24, 1919.

William S. Fitts

Private, 1st Class, Engineer, Co. A, 138th Regt.; of Cumberland County; son of T. L. and Sallie Fitts. Entered service Aug. 9, 1918, at Fayetteville, N.C. Sent to Camp Wadsworth, S. C. Transferred to Ft. Benj. Harrison, Ind. Mustered out at Ft. Benj. Harrison, Ind., Dec. 3, 1919.

F. E. Maloney

Seaman. Born in Cumberland County; the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Maloney. Entered service May 16, 1918, at Fayetteville, N.C. Sent to Newport, R. I., and from there to Boston, Mass. On training ship two weeks. Mustered out at Norfolk, Va.

William O. Huske

2nd Lt., F. Artly., Hdqrs. Co., 42nd Div., 149th F. Artly.; of Cumberland County; son of B. R. and Hannah Oliver Huske. Entered service May 13, 1917, at Fayetteville, N.C. Sent to Ft. Oglethorpe. Transferred to Hoboken. Sailed for France Sept. 10, 1917. Fought at St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, Lunerville Sector, Marne, Second Chateau-Thierry. Wounded at Battle of Chateau Thierry Aug. 28, 1918, by high explossive shell. Gassed at Montfaucon Oct. 11, 1918. Returned to USA Jan. 22, 1919. Mustered out at General Hospital No. 12 Biltmore, N.C., Aug. 28, 1919.

John R. Garrason

Sergt., Med. Corps, Hospital No. 6; of Cumberland County; son of Jno. and Joanna Garrason. Entered service May, 1918, at Fayetteville. Sent to Ft. McPherson. Mustered out at Ft. McPherson Feb. 14, 1919.

Biographical Sketch of Charles Waddell Chestnutt

Chestnutt, Charles Waddell; lawyer and author; born, Cleveland, June 20, 1858; son of Andrew J. and Maria Chestnutt; educated, public schools Cleveland and Fayetteville, N. C.; began teaching at the age of 16 years and for 9 years taught in the schools of Fayetteville, N. C.; at the age of 23, became principal of State Normal School, at Fayetteville; in 1884, spent a number of months in newspaper writing in New York City; began business life in Cleveland as a shorthand reporter; employed as such in the Cleveland Courts; studied law with the late Samuel E. Williamson; admitted to the … Read more

W. H. Graham

Private, Med. Corps, Co 321st Ambulance, 81st Div., 306th Sanitary Train; of Cumberland County; son of R. E. and Mrs. Ira Bella Graham. Husband of Mrs. Mary Lou Darden Graham. Entered service June 26, 1918, at Fayetteville, N.C. Sent to Camp Jackson; transferred to Camp Sevier, S. C., to Camp Mills, N. Y. Sailed for Chesebrough, France, Aug. 20, 1918. Fought at Meuse-Argonne. Arrived in USA from Marseilles, France, June 17, 1919, at New York. Mustered out at Camp Mills, N. Y., June 24, 1919.

Daniel B. Byrd

Capt., Inf., Co. D, 3rd Div., 38th Reg. and 19th Co. of 30th Div.; of Cumberland County; son of George J. and Mrs. Mary Byrd. Husband of Mrs. Florence Cozort Byrd. Entered service July 5, 1916 at Ft. Monroe, Va. Sent to Mineola, N. Y. Transferred to Ft. Bliss, El Paso, Tex., then to Camp Sevier, S. C. Sailed for England to France May 27, 1918. Entered service as Lt. July 5, 1916. Promoted to Capt. April 11, 1919. Fought in all battles of 30th Div. Wounded in the battle of Somme, LeCatau Sector, Oct. 11, 1918, by shrapnel. Sent … Read more

John Vann Thornton

1st Class Private, F. A., 13th Co. Born in Cumberland County; son of Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Thornton. Entered service June, 1918, at Fayetteville, N.C. Was sent to Ft. Thomas, Ky. Transferred to Camp Sherman, Ohio. Mustered out at Camp Sherman Dec. 20, 1918.